Robie Benve Art

"Refreshing" 8"x10" Oil on Board Sold Sometime we need to get away and spend time doing something relaxing. It's a survivor thing, you've got to unplug every once in a while and do what you love to do, with the people you love. But hey, for the days when I just can't get any farther than the supermarket down the street, looking at pictures like this gives me a little bit of the good feeling I need. It's like a spark of positive thoughts, and I feel refreshed already. Love to create paintings that may serve as positive sparks on someone's wall.  :)

Maturity, besides laughing wrinkles and lower vision, brought me a precious gift: better knowledge of what makes me really happy. Once I overcame the ages of peer pressure and constant worry about what others think, the ages when I thought I never looked skinny or pretty, I finally started getting comfortable in my own skin. Now that I am in my forties I have finally accepted that I can't please everyone, no matter what I do there will always be those that would like it different. No matter how I dress there will be always someone that thinks I look too casual, or too stylish, or too old-fashioned, or too extravagant. So why worry? With my parents at my dad's shoe store. Why spend so much energy and money trying to be accepted and liked by others? It feels good finally getting to know who I am deep inside and accepting my strengths and my weaknesses. What Is Important In Life? We are all different human beings with different likes and wants, but when it comes ...

A nice walk on the beach at dawn: priceless. I am not a morning person, at all. But if the reward is a walk on the beach, with the sun rising, the seagulls calling, and the waves gently accompanying the rhythm of my feet, I'd get up early any  time. I took this photo on Saturday morning, round 6 am in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy. On the left you can see the caterpillar cleaning the sand, like every morning. That's another thing I love about early mornings: to see the business of trash colectors, street cleaners, beach staff, etc. What a clash with those that have not seen a bed yet, still out from the night before, walking around in a more or less advanced state of drunkenness. I was there breathing in the morning air, enjoying the different sounds and smells of the morning activities, the sun rising, a new day blossoming... And here and there seeing young people un the streets, unable to function, who knows what they had ingested during the night.  Sad, really, seeing ...

"Towards the Light" 18" x 24" - Acrylic on canvas Currently showing at the "Elusive Nature" show at the Upper Arlington, OH municipal building. As every summer in the last few years I am in Italy. My Italian vacations are different from most people, I don't frantically visit cities and monuments, but I just enjoy spending time with my family. To tell the truth I feel kind of guilty spending days in total laziness, but it's so nice! We have been here six days and only today I got the feeling that "well, maybe we should do something". I'm in the town where I grew up, the neighbors are still exactly the same ones, only older. The gossip did not change much either, there is always someone cheating on the spouse, mistreating their elder parents, or just acting weird. The kids love seeing the grandparents. How comes my parents didn't spoil me growing up as they do with my kids???  lol    It's a good va...

I'm back from my vacation, recharged and ready to go. I went to Italy with my kids, stayed with my parents, saw many great friends, ate good food, and visited great places. Here is a photo of me in St. Mark's Square, Venice. It was a very hot day, but the kids and I made it through and had a great visit.